| Patent application number | Description | Published |
| 20080237721 | STRUCTURE AND CIRCUIT TECHNIQUE FOR UNIFORM TRIGGERING OF MULTIFINGER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH TUNABLE TRIGGER VOLTAGE - An external current injection source is provided to individual fingers of a multi-finger semiconductor device to provide the same trigger voltage across the multiple fingers. For example, the external injection current is supplied to the body of a MOSFET or the gate of a thyristor. The magnitude of the supplied current from each external current injection source is adjusted so that each finger has the same trigger voltage. The external current supply circuit may comprise diodes or an RC triggered MOSFET. The components of the external current supply circuit may be tuned to achieve a desired predetermined trigger voltage across all fingers of the multi-finger semiconductor device. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20090108289 | DESIGN STRUCTURE FOR UNIFORM TRIGGERING OF MULTIFINGER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES WITH TUNABLE TRIGGER VOLTAGE - A design structure for a circuit providing the same trigger voltage across the multiple fingers is provided, which comprises a data representing an external current injection source connected to individual fingers of a multi-finger semiconductor device. For example, the external injection current is supplied to the body of a MOSFET or the gate of a thyristor. The magnitude of the supplied current from each external current injection source is adjusted so that each finger has the same trigger voltage. The external current supply circuit may comprise diodes or an RC triggered MOSFET. The components of the external current supply circuit may be tuned to achieve a desired predetermined trigger voltage across all fingers of the multi-finger semiconductor device. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090160013 | SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE HEAT DISSIPATION STRUCTURE - A heat generating component of a semiconductor device is located between two heavily doped semiconductor regions in a semiconductor substrate. The heat generating component may be a middle portion of a diode having a light doping, a lightly doped p-n junction between a cathode and anode of a silicon controlled rectifier, or a resistive portion of a doped semiconductor resistor. At least one thermally conductive via comprising a metal or a non-metallic conductive material is place directly on the heat generating component. Alternatively, a thin dielectric layer may be formed between the heat generating component and the at least one thermally conductive via. The at least one thermally conductive via may, or may not, be connected to a back-end-of-line metal wire, which may be connected to higher level of metal wiring or to a handle substrate through a buried insulator layer. | 06-25-2009 |
| 20090256202 | SEMICONDUCTOR-ON-INSULATOR DEVICE STRUCTURES WITH A BODY-TO-SUBSTRATE CONNECTION FOR ENHANCED ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION, AND DESIGN STRUCTURES FOR SUCH SEMICONDUCTOR-ON-INSULATOR DEVICE STRUCTURES - Semiconductor-on-insulator device structures with enhanced electrostatic discharge protection, and design structures for an integrated circuit with device structures exhibiting enhanced electrostatic discharge protection. A device is formed in a body region of a device layer of a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate, which is bounded by an inner peripheral sidewall of an annular dielectric-filled isolation structure that extends from a top surface of the device layer to the insulating layer of the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. An annular conductive interconnect extends through the body region and the insulating layer to connect the body region with the bulk wafer of the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The annular conductive interconnect is disposed inside the inner peripheral sidewall of the isolation structure, which annularly encircles the body region. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20090302416 | Programmable Electrical Fuse - The present invention relates to e-fuse devices, and more particularly to a device and method of forming an e-fuse device, the method comprising providing a first conductive layer connected to a second conductive layer, the first and second conductive layers separated by a barrier layer having a first diffusivity different than a second diffusivity of the first conductive layer. A void is created in the first conductive layer by driving an electrical current through the e-fuse device. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20110001551 | CIRCUIT STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR PROGRAMMING AND RE-PROGRAMMING A LOW POWER, MULTIPLE STATES, ELECTRONIC FUSE (E-FUSE) - Disclosed are embodiments of an e-fuse programming/re-programming circuit. In one embodiment, the e-fuse has two short high atomic diffusion resistance conductor layers positioned on opposite sides and at a same end of a long low atomic diffusion resistance conductor layer. A voltage source is used to vary the polarity and, optionally, the magnitude of voltage applied to the terminals in order to control bi-directional flow of electrons within the long conductor layer and, thereby formation of opens and/or shorts at the long conductor layer-short conductor layer interfaces. The formation of such opens and/or shorts can be used to achieve different programming states. Other circuit structure embodiments incorporate e-fuses with additional conductor layers and additional terminals so as to allow for even more programming states. Also disclosed are embodiments of associated e-fuse programming and re-programming methods. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110049683 | STRUCTURES, METHODS AND APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRICAL PULSE ANNEAL PROCESSES - Structures and methods are provided for nanosecond electrical pulse anneal processes. The method of forming an electrostatic discharge (ESD) N+/P+ structure includes forming an N+ diffusion on a substrate and a P+ diffusion on the substrate. The P+ diffusion is in electrical contact with the N+ diffusion. The method further includes forming a device between the N+ diffusion and the P+ diffusion. A method of annealing a structure or material includes applying an electrical pulse across an electrostatic discharge (ESD) N+/P+ structure for a plurality of nanoseconds. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110068364 | BIDIRECTIONAL ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE PROTECTION STRUCTURE FOR HIGH VOLTAGE APPLICATIONS - Semiconductor structures providing protection against electrostatic events of both polarities are provided. A pair of p-n junctions is provided underneath a shallow trench isolation portion between a first-conductivity-type well and each of a signal-side second-conductivity-type well and an electrical-ground-side second-conductivity-type well in a semiconductor substrate. A second-conductivity-type doped region and a first-conductivity-type doped region are formed above each second-conductivity-type well such that a portion of the second-conductivity-type well resistively separates the second-conductivity-type doped region and the first-conductivity-type doped region within the semiconductor substrate. Each of the second-conductivity-type doped regions is wired either to a signal node or electrical ground. One of the two npn transistors and one of the two p-n diodes, each inherently present in the semiconductor structure, turn on to provide protection against electrical discharge events involving either type of excessive electrical charges. | 03-24-2011 |